Fostering Vietnam - Laos friendship forever green

(Comrade Thai Van Hang - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association, answered an interview with Nghe An newspaper)

PV: Could you please tell us about the valuable traditions in the Vietnam - Laos friendship?

Comrade Thai Van Hang:Vietnam and Laos in general and the provinces sharing the border with Nghe An (Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, Bolikhamxay) are close neighbors, leaning against the majestic Truong Son mountain range, having a long-standing close relationship with each other in many aspects, becoming loyal and steadfast friends, sharing the same trenches, sharing the same will to fight against the common enemy. The Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party have the same origin, laid a solid foundation by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kaysone Phomvihane, and cultivated by the next generations of leaders of the two Parties and States, and have been increasingly consolidated and developed well.

The traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos are invaluable assets of the two peoples. This is a special relationship, built and nurtured by the efforts, sweat and blood of many generations of Vietnamese and Lao revolutionaries throughout history, and is a factor ensuring the victory of the revolutionary cause, national construction and defense in each country in the past as well as in the new era.

PV: What are the achievements in cooperation and development between Nghe An and Laos, sir?

Comrade Thai Van Hang:In recent years, the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in general, and between Nghe An province and neighboring provinces of Laos in particular, have had new developments.

Up to now, Nghe An has had over 50 enterprises participating in import-export business activities and investing in the Lao market in the fields of: construction of hydropower plants and traffic works, architecture, mineral exploitation, wood processing and transportation, industrial tree planting... with a total investment capital of nearly 20 million USD. Nghe An has also upgraded Thanh Thuy border gate to a national border gate; helped Hua Phan province survey and design to build a road from Thong Thu - Nam Tay secondary border gate to Sam Neua town. Many items are bought and sold, exchanged between the two sides such as cement, iron and steel, tiles, sawn timber, round timber...



Governor of Xieng Khouang province (left) presents investment certificates to Vietnamese investors at the Investment Promotion Conference in Xieng Khouang province - Laos (Cua Lo town, August 25, 2012). Photo: Sy Minh.

On August 25, 2012, we successfully organized the Nghe An - Xieng Khouang investment promotion conference. At the conference, 15 investment projects between Nghe An and Lao enterprises were signed to invest in Xieng Khouang province in the fields of agriculture, mineral exploitation and processing, and tourism.

Regarding education and training, in recent years, Nghe An has received and helped train cadres from Lao provinces. In the 2011-2012 school year, 85 cadres and students from Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamxay and Hua Phan provinces studied Vietnamese at Nghe An Pedagogical College. Currently, there are over 400 Lao cadres and students studying at Vinh University, Vinh Medical University, Pedagogical College, Technical College and Vietnam - Korea Industrial Technical Vocational College, helping Xieng Khouang province build cultural houses and schools.

You have closely coordinated with us to help us search for the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died on Laotian soil. Up to now, we have collected more than 12,000 remains of volunteer soldiers and experts back to our motherland. We have successfully implemented the plan to increase the density and restore the system of national border markers between Vietnam and Laos, striving to complete a total of 105 markers by the end of 2012.

PV: What contributions has the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of our province made to foster that good relationship?

Comrade Thai Van Hang:The Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of our province was established in 1967. Over the past 45 years, the Association has done a good job in people's foreign affairs, organizing extensive propaganda and education on the friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos among the people; organizing cultural and artistic exchange activities between provinces sharing the border; visiting and congratulating the holidays of Laos. The Lao ethnic people in Xieng Khouang province organized meetings with the people of Mon Son and Luc Da communes (Con Cuong) to express gratitude for the support and care of the Xieng Khouang people who evacuated during the fierce war years. Organized a caravan to exchange sports and culture with our province; regularly maintained the regulations on experience exchange with the Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association of Xieng Khouang province; published many books, magazines, and propaganda documents on the Vietnam - Laos friendship; Together with localities and border posts, we have mobilized people in the Vietnam - Laos border communes to fight against illegal immigration, illegal trade in prohibited goods, illegal proselytizing, participate in protecting the border and landmarks, maintain political security, social order and safety on both sides of the border, help each other with experience in production, cultivation, animal husbandry, etc.

PV: In the coming time, what activities will the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association have to promote that good tradition, comrade?

Comrade Thai Van Hang:In order to promote the tradition and achievements, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association will coordinate with all levels and sectors to further promote activities to deepen the comprehensive friendship and cooperation relationship and achieve practical results; contribute to promoting the Party's foreign affairs, State foreign affairs and people's foreign affairs; ensure the timely implementation of the plan to increase the density and embellish the system of national border markers. Coordinate propaganda in the fight against free migration, illegal encroachment, illegal trade and transportation of prohibited goods across the border, etc., helping people, especially the young generation of the two countries, deeply realize that the special Vietnam-Laos relationship is a priceless asset shared by the two nations, which needs to be cherished, protected and promoted in the trend of opening up and international integration in each country, contributing to making the special Vietnam-Laos friendship and solidarity increasingly consolidated and developed to new heights, worthy of the teachings of beloved President Ho Chi Minh: "If we love each other, we can climb any mountain/ wade any river, cross any pass/ Vietnam-Laos, our two countries/ Love is deeper than the Red River and Mekong River".

PV: Thank you, comrade!

Duc Chuyen (performed)